Almost 800 workers who were blacklisted by construction companies for their political views and union activities have won an estimated £75m in a wave of new settlements. Under the deals 771 workers will each receive an average of £65,000 after the industry agreed to pay £50m in compensation as well as about £25m in legal fees. More IN UK Business & Economy Some of Britain’s best known building firms, including Carillion, Balfour Beatty, Costain, Kier, Laing O’Rourke and Sir Robert McAlpine were accused of blocking workers whose names appeared on a list held by a shadowy trade group based in the Midlands. Unite the Union announced on Monday that it had reached a settlement with eight construction companies that will see 256 workers share more than £10m of compensation. The GMB has also revealed that it settled for 116 blacklisted workers at a total of £5.4m plus £3m of legal costs in April – and can now divulge the terms of that arrangement. Other settlements have also been obtained by the union UCATT and by a law firm called Guney, Clark and Ryan. The industry had already set up a compensation scheme worth an estimated £10m three years ago but unions continued to fight for more generous payouts. The unions also called for a public inquiry into what they describe as a shameful incident in industrial relations. The existence of the blacklist was uncovered seven years ago by the Information Commissioner’s Office when it raided the Droitwich offices of the Consulting Association. The list allegedly stretched to 3,213 named individuals with personal information — gathered over more than 15 years — including political views and union activities. In some case the paper files included details of personal relationships. The colour coded files also included the details on nearly 200 environmentalists and animal rights campaigners. The mainly paper database was used by the construction groups to vet recruits and share information across the industry. The aim was to identify suspected “trouble makers” taking part in trade union activity or raising health and safety concerns. The industry has always claimed that the practice did not amount to “blacklisting”, which usually means automatic discrimination. But it has accepted that its secret vetting system infringed workers’ rights to confidentiality, privacy and reputation. “Unite is proud to have fought right to the end to get the maximum we believed was possible against companies that had to be dragged kicking and screaming to make unprecedented admissions of guilt last October,” said Howard Beckett, director of legal services at Unite. “In addition to financial compensation, admissions of guilt and formal apologies, the companies have agreed, as a result of this litigation, to issue guidance to site managers to ensure blacklisting is not occurring on a local level.” Dave Smith, secretary of the Blacklist Support Group, said the result was a “historic victory for the trade union movement” after years of denials and cover-ups. Tim Roache, GMB general secretary, said the companies involved had thought that they were above the law: “Finally they have been held to account in public and at great cost to them financially and reputationally. Government and employers’ organisations must never forget this sordid episode.” Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2016. You may share using our article tools. Please don’t cut articles from FT.com and redistribute by email or post to the web. Source link

Leading Brazilian architect to receive UK’s highest honour for architecture The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) is delighted to announce that Paulo Mendes da Rocha, Brazil’s most celebrated living architect, will receive the 2017 Royal Gold Medal. Given in recognition of a lifetime’s work, the Royal Gold Medal is approved by Her Majesty The Queen and is given to a person or group of people who have had a significant influence “either directly or indirectly on the advancement of architecture”. Awarded since 1848, past Royal Gold Medallists include Zaha Hadid (2016), Frank Gehry (2000), Norman Foster (1983), Frank Lloyd Wright (1941) and Sir George Gilbert Scott (1859); Oscar Niemeyer (1998) is the only other Brazilian architect to have received the honour. Born in Vitória, Brazil in 1928, Paulo Mendes da Rocha has received international acclaim for his significant contribution to architecture. Mendes da Rocha’s numerous notable cultural buildings, built in his particular Brazilian Brutalist style with exposed concrete structures and rough finishes, are widely credited with transforming the city of São Paulo. In 1957 he completed his first celebrated building, the Athletic Club of São Paulo, followed by a large number of further public buildings in the city including Saint Peter Chapel (1987), the Brazilian Sculpture Museum MuBE (1988), Patriach Plaza (1992-2002), the Pinacoteca do Estado gallery (1993) and the FIESP Cultural Center (1997). Outside São Paulo, notable buildings include the Serra Dourada football stadium in Goiás (1973), Lady of the Conception Chapel in Recife (2006) and Cais das Artes arts centre in Vitória (2008). Despite Mendes da Rocha’s international reputation, there have been just a few chances to experience his work outside his home country, with the significant exception of Brazil’s pavilion at Expo ’70 (Osaka, Japan) and Portugal’s National Coach Museum (Lisbon, 2015). Speaking about the award, RIBA President and chair of the selection committee Jane Duncan said: “Paulo Mendes da Rocha’s work is highly unusual in comparison to the majority of the world’s most celebrated architects. He is an architect with an incredible international reputation, yet almost all his masterpieces are built exclusively in his home country. Revolutionary and transformative, Mendes da Rocha’s work typifies the architecture of 1950s Brazil – raw, chunky and beautifully ‘brutal’ concrete.  “Paulo Mendes da Rocha is a world-class architect and a true living legend; I am delighted he will be presented with the Royal Gold Medal, one of the world’s most important honours for architecture.” Paulo Mendes da Rocha said:  “After so many years of work, it is a great joy to receive this recognition from the Royal Institute of British Architects for the contribution my lifetime of work and experiments have given to the progress of architecture and society. I would like to send my warmest wishes to all those who share my passion, in particular British architects, and share this moment with all the architects and engineers that have collaborated on my projects.” Paulo Mendes da Rocha has previously been honoured with the Mies van der Rohe Prize (2000), Pritzker Prize (2006), the Venice Biennale Golden Lion for lifetime achievement (2016) and the Praemium Imperiale International Arts Award (2016). The Royal Gold Medal will be presented to Paulo Mendes da Rocha in early 2017. ENDS Notes to editors: 1. For more press information contact: Melanie Mayfield melanie.mayfield@riba.org 020 7307 3662 2. Images can be downloaded from https://riba.box.com/s/9uartks04ojanjztyndlvrz6zflzuttx 3. For more information on the Royal Gold Medal visit https://www.architecture.com/RIBA/Awards/RoyalGoldMedal/RoyalGoldMedal.aspx 4. The 2017 Royal Gold Medal selection committee comprises RIBA President Jane Duncan with Sir Peter Cook, Neil Gillespie OBE, Victoria Thornton OBE and the 2015 Royal Gold Medallist Sheila O’Donnell. 5. The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) is a global professional membership body that serves its members and society in order to deliver better buildings and places, stronger communities and a sustainable environment. www.architecture.com Follow us on Twitter for regular RIBA updates www.twitter.com/RIBA 6. Paulo Mendes da Rocha – Biography Paulo Mendes da Rocha was born in October 1928 in the city of Vitória- the harbor capital of Espírito Santo, son of the naval engineer Paulo Menezes Mendes da Rocha and Angelina Derenzi, daughter of an Italian family that had emigrated to Brazil. When his father assumed the coordination of the Naval and Harbor discipline at the Polytechnic School of the São Paulo University (USP) in 1940, the family moved to São Paulo. Paulo Mendes da Rocha graduated from the Mackenzie University Architecture School in 1954 and built a career planning houses, schools, apartment buildings, museums, several urban projects, stations and sport equipment, furniture and theatre sets.  Soon after his graduation, in 1957 he won a national competition for the construction of a gymnasium – the Clube Atlético Paulistano. This work brought him public recognition and won the principal award at the 6th Bienal of São Paulo, in 1961 – Grande Prêmio Presidência da República. In 1968, he won the national project competition for the Brazilian Pavilion at Osaka Expo 70 and travelled to follow the development of the construction in 1969. Among several international honors, he has been awarded with the Mies Van der Rohe Foundation Prize for his Pinacoteca de São Paulo project. He was selected in 2000 to represent Brazil at the 7th International Architecture Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia. He received the Pritzker Architecture Prize in 2006. In Brazil, he was twice honored with the Ordem do Mérito Cultural, in 2004 and 2013. He also received twice the trophy from APCA “Associação Paulista de Críticos de Arte”, in 2012 and 2015. In 2016, he was awarded with the Golden Lion for lifetime achievement at Venice Architecture Biennale and with the Imperiale Praemium in honour of Prince Takamatsu in the category of architecture in Japan. He joined the academic world in the sixties when invited to teach at the School of Architecture and Urbanism at the University of São Paulo. He taught at the University of São Paulo from 1960 to 1969 and from 1980 till 1998; in 2010 he received the title

Category: Construction Industry Today | Subscribe to Construction Industry Today Feed Published Thu, Apr 14th 2016 Representatives from Temple Learning Academy and main contractor ISG gathered on site in East Leeds to mark the commencement of a project that will transform a disused leisure centre into an innovative free school. Posted via Industry Today. Follow us on Twitter @IndustryToday The ceremonial event is a key milestone for staff and pupils at the Temple Learning Academy, which currently occupies temporary accommodation at the site, converted by ISG from existing offices at the leisure facility last year. The Academy opened at the start of the academic year in autumn 2015 in this temporary accommodation as a through-school for 1,020 students aged 4-16 years. The scheme aims to re-use as much of the existing infrastructure from the former leisure centre as possible. ISG will demolish the swimming pool but retain the steel frame building, and re-use the existing sports hall facility. The internal layout of the leisure centre will be significantly reconfigured to create modern teaching accommodation and ISG will also retain and repair the building’s façade – installing additional windows to bring natural light into the structure. ISG is set to build a new three-storey steel frame extension with ribbon glazing and metal cladding elevations, which will be primarily used by older students. Facilities will include SEN (Special Educational Needs) provision, a learning resource centre (LRC), a kitchen, dining area and sports facilities. The project also includes the construction of a new MUGA pitch and significant hard and soft landscaping with new paths and play areas, a car park for 90 cars and designated drop off areas. Matthew Browne, Principal from Temple Learning Academy, commented: “Today marked the start of the next phase of our journey as an academy. It’s great to bring meaning and purpose to this particular building in the heart of the community. What’s been wonderful is having the most important people, our pupils, here to celebrate the start of the construction and dig that first hole in the ground.” Danny Murray, ISG’s Northern regional managing director, added: “This event marks a key milestone in the creation of a permanent home for Temple Learning Academy in East Leeds, and is a great opportunity for key stakeholders to come together and celebrate this transformational project. “The demand for high-quality learning space has never been higher and the EFA Framework has proved the perfect procurement vehicle to drive innovation, vision and efficiencies into the construction process to bring this scheme to site quickly.”  Source link

Category: Construction Industry Today | Subscribe to Construction Industry Today Feed Published Wed, Aug 31st 2016 The construction site entry experience is transformed by MSite. Posted via Industry Today. Follow us on Twitter @IndustryToday A next-generation fingerprint reader which transforms the site entry experience for construction workers has been launched by MSite*, the UK’s leading developer of access control and workforce management solutions. Whereas most fingerprint readers on contemporary construction sites have only a red/green (stop/go) function and often play up due to dirty hands, the MSite fingerprint touch screen system from HRS combines a rugged, all-weather fingerprint sensor with an intuitive, interactive touch screen to revolutionise the access algorithm. Designed specifically for the foibles and harsh environments of the construction industry, identification speed takes under a second while the MSite fingerprint touch system can match up to 10,000 fingerprint templates. It can even be reconfigured via the MSite website to ask users if they are arriving or leaving before they complete the transaction. The latest option to the market-leading MSite portfolio, the touch screen system supports access control and time and attendance modes and accepts input from the user to confirm they have understood safety messages before proceeding onto the site – highly beneficial for Health and Safety directors to ensure they get the latest procedural messages across to the workers on the ground. It even gives users feedback about why they may have been denied access, such as an expired accreditation. Available in multiple languages to cater for the construction industry’s diverse workforce as well as wall-mounted and desktop-free; and wireless, cable connected or via 3G/4G, the system can be loaded with a main contractor’s bespoke questions. It can also be configured to allow certain users to enter a PIN code for access, instead of presenting a finger. Built to operate in temperatures ranging from -20˚C to 40˚C, the 12-volt system outputs Wiegand data for integration with standard access control systems. MSite’s head of product design Simon Appleton said: “The MSite touch screen represents a huge leap forward in the technology required to make fingerprint reading in the construction industry a quick and accurate event. The touch screen element also adds a whole new dimension of interactivity between individuals arriving and leaving site and the management team. “Add to this biometric advancement the access control and workforce management functions of the original MSite system and you have a system which outperforms anything else on the market.” ENDS * Powered by Human Recognition Systems (HRS).  Source link

The Track Partnership is an alliance between Balfour Beatty Rail and London Underground that will see the contractor responsible for delivering track renewal work across London’s tube network. The company was first awarded the contract in 2010. With the two-year extension, the contractor will continue work until March 2018. Balfour Beatty will continue to provide design, labour, plant, and materials, as well as surveying, supervision and management of the renewal works. Over the next two years London Underground said there would be a focus on enhancing efficiencies including measures which will see project managers given more accountability for driving down costs. Balfour Beatty Group chief executive Leo Quinn said: “With world-class expertise in track, electrification and power supply systems, Balfour Beatty Rail is a significant player in the UK rail infrastructure market. ”We have utilised these market-leading skills and expertise working with London Underground over the last 13 years. ”This extension is a clear sign of London Underground’s confidence in the capability of Balfour Beatty within the Track Partnership.” Source link

Five years after BHP Billiton plunged $20bn into the US shale revolution, the wait goes on for shareholders. Even if oil prices rally by one-third the fields will not generate significant free cash flow until the turn of the decade, the mining company cum oil producer revealed at investor briefings last week. Yet the head of BHP’s petroleum business says the company remains committed to its shale assets, which he believes can outstrip its conventional oilfields and plug a supply gap that it sees emerging from the industry-wide investment drought brought about by the collapse in crude prices since mid-2014. “We admit straight away that we didn’t get the timing right [of the shale deals],” says Steve Pastor in an interview in London. “But what we did pick up were fantastic assets.” BHP’s acquisition of two US shale producers in 2011 was followed by $17bn of investment, beefing up an oil business that has long set the world’s most valuable mining company apart from its peers. About one-third of BHP’s group earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation have come from petroleum over the past five years. The timing of its shale bet proved ill-judged. Following a savage market downturn that has seen oil prices more than halve, BHP has racked up $12bn of impairments and the US shale business is now valued at just $12.6bn. Output is expected to fall by a quarter this year, the consequence of a much reduced drilling programme. BHP’s oil exposure has been a reason for the company’s underperformance against peers over the past year and a half. But as China’s economic growth slows and the industry expects sluggish long-term demand for commodities such as coal and iron ore, BHP’s petroleum business is arguably more important than ever. At last week’s investor briefings BHP attempted to reset expectations for its oil business, stressing a commitment to the company’s US onshore position and a belief that the crude market will come back into balance before its other commodities. “When you think about what we have today … [oil] is one of the most attractive growth levers and options across the group portfolio,” says Mr Pastor. Even before its venture into US shale, BHP was unusual among miners in having a significant oil business, based largely on deepwater fields around Australia and the Gulf of Mexico. Today BHP says it is a top 10 producer of both US shale gas and oil and ranks fourth by output in the Gulf of Mexico. In terms of production — some 660,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day — BHP’s oil business bears comparison with that of Chesapeake Energy and Apache, according to Wood Mackenzie data. Mr Pastor addressed investors after a timely lift from Opec, the oil producers’ cartel, which last month agreed to cut output for the first time since the financial crisis — a surprise that helped to propel BHP’s share price to a 12-month high. But one of analysts’ main conclusions from a welter of information on BHP’s oil business this month is that its US onshore assets — in well-known shale formations such as the Permian basin and Eagle Ford in Texas — may not be sufficiently cash-generative for a while longer. “The challenge for the portfolio remains the lack of free cash flow,” say analysts at Deutsche Bank. BHP’s projections imply that the US onshore business is unlikely to contribute positive free cash flow until 2020 if today’s oil and gas prices persist, say analysts at JPMorgan. The US oil benchmark West Texas Intermediate — today at about $50 per barrel — would have to rise to $70 “to generate sustainable, positive pre-tax free cash flow”, add the analysts. BHP says the US onshore business should at worst be broadly cash flow neutral, adding that earnings from other commodities mean the company can be patient with shale, where it is cutting the cost of building wells. Particularly in the Permian basin, BHP thinks it could lift production from 30,000 boe/d to 150,000 boe/d in five years, making it the largest part of its petroleum portfolio. Indeed, BHP is relying on its US onshore business to plug the production gap expected from declining conventional fields. One intended new conventional project — Mad Dog 2 in the Gulf of Mexico, where BHP has a 24 per cent share alongside operator BP — will reach a final investment decision within six months. Analysts at Credit Suisse highlight how Mad Dog 2 will only produce from 2022 or later. “What we think is missing is a conventional oil asset that could fill the gap before Mad Dog 2 … a post-discovery, pre-production acquisition in deep water oil would be ideal to fill the asset gap but probably unlikely,” they say. Mr Pastor does not rule out deals. “It has to be at the right price but also consider fiscal terms and political risk,” he says. “And it has to compete with any other opportunity for capital in BHP.” Source link

Poor air quality affecting most office workers Published:  17 August, 2016 A new survey has found that indoor air pollution is prevalent in work places across Britain, potentially causing long-term health problems. The YouGov survey, commissioned by the Building Engineering Services Association (BESA), reports that almost 70% of office workers believe poor air quality in their place of work is having a negative effect on their day-to-day productivity and well-being. Additionally, a third of office workers are concerned that poor indoor air quality could be having a negative effect on their health. Those office workers surveyed reported suffering regularly from symptoms commonly linked to poor indoor air quality: 68% of office workers experience lapses in concentration on a monthly or more frequent basis Over two thirds (67%) of recipients reported suffering from fatigue while at work on a monthly or more frequent basis Over half (54%) of office workers surveyed experience decreased productivity on a monthly or more frequent basis Over a third (41%) of people experience watery or irritated eyes when in the office on a monthly or more frequent basis Almost 40% of office workers who suffer from at least one of the symptoms listed believes poor ventilation is the main reason for the problems they experience. The BESA survey follows a report published by the Royal College of Physicians earlier this year, which revealed that indoor and outdoor air pollution could collectively be linked to at least 40,000 premature deaths a year in the UK. Opening windows is the most commonly used form of ventilation, with 60% of office workers saying it is the first thing they do if they need ‘fresh air’. However, although this is seen as a natural response, opening office windows runs the risk of allowing outdoor toxins into the building, potentially further polluting the air, the survey found. Statistics suggest that, as a nation, we spend an average of 90% of our time indoors and 212 days a year at work. BESA has now called on the industry, building managers and the general public to ensure proper, effective, well-maintained ventilation systems are operating in all offices across the UK. “Many people in the UK end up working more than 40 hours per week and, generally, we spend upwards of 90% of our time indoors,” said BESA chief executive Paul McLaughlin. “It is, therefore, crucial that buildings provide a healthy working environment. “More and more people are becoming aware of the inadequate ventilation options in their offices, as well as the negative effect this is having on their health and their productivity. “There is a perception that a lack of windows contributes to poor indoor air quality but, in reality, we need proper, well maintained air conditioning and ventilation systems in place. We need to make our buildings a safe haven for occupants, to protect them from the worst impacts of outdoor pollution as well as providing good quality, healthy indoor air.” Commenting on the survey results, the Royal College of Physicians’ special adviser on air quality, Professor Stephen Holgate, said: “As we noted in our report: ‘Every breath we take: the lifelong impact of air pollution’, indoor air pollution is often an area which is overlooked. Poor ventilation is one part of this problem and, with the drive to reduce energy costs by making spaces more airtight, things will only get worse. “We now know that air pollution has a substantial impact on many chronic long-term conditions, increasing strokes and heart attacks in susceptible individuals. That is why this is not just a job for government, local authorities or business – as individuals we can all do our part to reduce pollutant exposure,” he added. Dr. Prashant Kumar from the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering at the University of Surrey added: “The World Health Organisation ranks air pollution as the third most significant health risk worldwide. Indoor air quality is greatly affected by the ventilation conditions of a household, commercial or workplace buildings. “Modern buildings and workplaces are usually made airtight to conserve energy, but this can in fact compromise the indoor air quality due to lack of sufficient air changes. The results of this survey are very useful and indeed pertinent, not only for the general public but also for the scientific community and the urban planners.” BESA is collaborating with a number of industry bodies including the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) and Institute of Healthcare Engineering & Estate Management (IHEEM) to raise awareness about IAQ and produce detailed guidance for contractors, designers and facilities managers.   Source link

Alan Vallance has been appointed Chief Executive of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) following a competitive recruitment process. Alan Vallance has a background in finance, consulting, strategic planning and general management in Europe and Australasia. He joined the RIBA in September 2015 as Interim Director of Finance and Operations and has been interim Chief Executive since February 2016. Prior to joining the RIBA Alan spent three years as Chief Operating Officer at the Law Society, the membership and regulatory body for solicitors in England and Wales. RIBA President Jane Duncan said: “I am delighted that Alan Vallance has been appointed as Chief Executive of the RIBA. We had a large and strong field of applicants and the interview panel were unanimous in concluding that Alan is the right person to lead the RIBA as we deliver our 5 year strategy. As Interim Chief Executive since February this year, Alan has demonstrated his energy, drive and commitment to strengthening the RIBA’s voice and impact as a global professional membership body driving excellence in architecture.” Alan Vallance said: “Architects are creative, visionary and collaborative professionals who ensure that our built environment serves and strengthens communities now and in the future. It is a privilege to have been appointed to the role of Chief Executive of the RIBA. I look forward to working with the Board and Council, the staff team and members in the UK and globally to deliver the RIBA’s five year strategic plan and to further strengthen the RIBA’s offer to current and future members.” ENDS  Notes: 1. For further press information contact Howard Crosskey in the RIBA Press Office howard.crosskey@riba.org 020 7307 3726 2. An image of Alan Vallance can be downloaded here: https://riba.box.com/s/dyb8xesdwguh5ln19c0e7l4um3r6jdyw  3. Alan tweets at @Alan_Vallance 4. Alan Vallance trained as a chartered accountant and has a background in finance, consulting, strategic planning and general management across a wide variety of roles in Europe and Australasia. Prior to joining RIBA in September 2015 as Interim Director of Finance & Operations, Alan spent three years as Chief Operating Officer at the Law Society, the membership and regulatory body for solicitors in England and Wales. Between 2009 and 2011 Alan was the Chief Operating Officer of the Australian Bureau of Meteorology, the national weather agency, based in Melbourne, Australia. As part of his responsibilities, Alan spent considerable time at the United Nations in Geneva participating and leading Australian Delegations at the World Meteorological Organisation. Alan is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia and New Zealand and the Australian Institute of Company Directors. He obtained a BA (Hons) in Economics at the University of York. 5. The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) is a global professional membership body that serves its members and society in order to deliver better buildings and places, stronger communities and a sustainable environment. www.architecture.com Follow us on Twitter for regular RIBA updates www.twitter.com/RIBA   Posted on Monday 19th September 2016 Source link

3 June 2016 | James Richards A project to merge the back-office functions of a number of Whitehall departments has “not achieved value for money”, says a National Audit Office report.   The government’s Next Generation Shared Services scheme has saved around £90 million over two-and-a-half years – substantially less than the £128 million originally forecast. Meanwhile, investment costs have reached £94 million.   In 2014, the Cabinet Office began the project to merge the five existing shared service centres into two independent centres to save money.   Eleven government departments including the Home Office, Ministry of Justice and the Department of Work and Pensions receive services from the shared centres.   But the National Audit Office has reported a raft of delays and inefficiencies across the programme, caused by a backlog of requests to change over to the new service centres and standardised operating systems.   It says there are 888 requests for change currently outstanding across the two independent centres.   Only two of 26 participating organisations that planned to switch to the single operating platforms have done so, with none doing so by deadline. The report found the average delay in migrating to single operating systems was 14 months.   The report blames “weaknesses in the design programme”, poor management of certain aspects, and a failure to secure buy-in from stakeholders.   Also, “several departments were unhappy not to have been sufficiently consulted on key elements”, including the appointment of one of the two private-sector providers, Steria, the other being arvato.      Source link